Introduction
For this project, we began by learning about ecosystems and all of the moving parts about them. The big picture was to learn about ecology. Then, each group was tasked with drawing out an ecosystem, making sure to include all abiotic and biotic factors. Abiotic factors are factors that are non-living. For example water and air. Biotic factors are all living factors, or flora and fauna. Then we added different energy flows and matter cycles into our diagrams. The energy flow, carbon cycle and the nitrogen cycle. Then we added climate into the diagram after learning more about that.
After we acquired the knowledge about ecology from our diagrams, we put these to use and found a failing ecosystem that we could use our new found knowledge to help fix. My group researched marine life and raised awareness with an educational video to help solve the problems that this ecosystem faces.
After we acquired the knowledge about ecology from our diagrams, we put these to use and found a failing ecosystem that we could use our new found knowledge to help fix. My group researched marine life and raised awareness with an educational video to help solve the problems that this ecosystem faces.
Content
Below are terms that will help you understand the project:
Ecosystem - A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment. We used ecosystems in our project because the main goal of the project was to save an ecosystem.
Habitat - The natural home or environment of an animal, plant, or other organism. The habitat of the Black Rhinos was important to the project because we needed to find a solution that the habitat could support.
Climate - The weather conditions prevailing in an area in general or over a long period. In our project, global warming was affecting the population of the Black Rhinos.
Weather - The state of the atmosphere at a place and time as regards heat, dryness, sunshine, wind, rain, etc.
Symbiosis - Interaction between two different organisms living in close physical association.
Abiotic Factors - A nonliving condition or thing, as climate or habitat, that influences or affects an ecosystem and the organisms in it.
Biotic Factors - Any living component that affects another organism, or shapes the ecosystem. The biotic factors of the Namibia Desert include rhinos, hyenas, small life, and the plants of the desert.
Trophic Levels - Each of several hierarchical levels in an ecosystem, comprising organisms that share the same function in the food chain and the same nutritional relationship to the primary sources of energy.
10% Rule - When energy is passed in an ecosystem from one trophic level to the next, only ten percent of the energy will be passed on.
Carrying Capacity - The number of people, other living organisms, or crops that a region can support without environmental degradation.
Energy Cycle - The cycle of how energy travels through an ecosystem. The energy starts at the autotrophs who make the energy through photosynthesis. Then the energy moves up when an organism eats another organism at a lower trophic level.
Carbon Cycle - the processes by which carbon moves through the environment, involving the incorporation of carbon dioxide into living tissue by photosynthesis and its return to the atmosphere through respiration, the decay of dead organisms, and the burning of fossil fuels.
Biomes - Large naturally occurring community of flora and fauna occupying a major habitat
Food Chain - a hierarchical series of organisms each dependent on the next as a source of food and energy.
Food Web - a system of interlocking and interdependent food chains. Used to represent complex relationships in ecosystem.
Population Density - Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume
Ecosystem - A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment. We used ecosystems in our project because the main goal of the project was to save an ecosystem.
Habitat - The natural home or environment of an animal, plant, or other organism. The habitat of the Black Rhinos was important to the project because we needed to find a solution that the habitat could support.
Climate - The weather conditions prevailing in an area in general or over a long period. In our project, global warming was affecting the population of the Black Rhinos.
Weather - The state of the atmosphere at a place and time as regards heat, dryness, sunshine, wind, rain, etc.
Symbiosis - Interaction between two different organisms living in close physical association.
Abiotic Factors - A nonliving condition or thing, as climate or habitat, that influences or affects an ecosystem and the organisms in it.
Biotic Factors - Any living component that affects another organism, or shapes the ecosystem. The biotic factors of the Namibia Desert include rhinos, hyenas, small life, and the plants of the desert.
Trophic Levels - Each of several hierarchical levels in an ecosystem, comprising organisms that share the same function in the food chain and the same nutritional relationship to the primary sources of energy.
10% Rule - When energy is passed in an ecosystem from one trophic level to the next, only ten percent of the energy will be passed on.
Carrying Capacity - The number of people, other living organisms, or crops that a region can support without environmental degradation.
Energy Cycle - The cycle of how energy travels through an ecosystem. The energy starts at the autotrophs who make the energy through photosynthesis. Then the energy moves up when an organism eats another organism at a lower trophic level.
Carbon Cycle - the processes by which carbon moves through the environment, involving the incorporation of carbon dioxide into living tissue by photosynthesis and its return to the atmosphere through respiration, the decay of dead organisms, and the burning of fossil fuels.
Biomes - Large naturally occurring community of flora and fauna occupying a major habitat
Food Chain - a hierarchical series of organisms each dependent on the next as a source of food and energy.
Food Web - a system of interlocking and interdependent food chains. Used to represent complex relationships in ecosystem.
Population Density - Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume
Conclusion
During this project my group strived in two areas. One of these areas was being able to get a good amount of work done at each time we had an opportunity to work on our project. We also had a very easy time communicating to each other during this project. One area that we could have improved however was finding enough time to have our set for the video open. This was a struggle because we had to find time out of class to complete our project. Another problem that our group has was attendance. It was hard to get our entire group to find time out of class and even harder when our group couldn't be present during in class time. Even with these challenges we managed to complete the project in a complete and timely manner.